


The 12 Days of Sidewinder - Day 6

by Astrumiel, sasstrick



Series: 12 Days of Sidewinder [6]
Category: Cut & Run - Madeleine Urban & Abigail Roux, Sidewinder Series - Abigail Roux
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Christmas, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-18
Updated: 2015-12-18
Packaged: 2018-05-07 09:29:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,719
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5451788
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Astrumiel/pseuds/Astrumiel, https://archiveofourown.org/users/sasstrick/pseuds/sasstrick
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kelly introduces Nick to his parents for the holidays.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The 12 Days of Sidewinder - Day 6

Kelly watched Nick from the kitchen. He was looking over some of his old historical books. It was about week before Christmas and every year since they’ve been together, they’d been alone together during the holidays. He wanted this year to be more. He needed it to be more. It had been so long since he’d had a family Christmas and he knew it would never be what he had dreamed of with his parents, but he needed to share them with Nick. The pull of it was stronger this year than it had been ever before he wasn’t sure why. The feeling of family that Nick brought to his life? Completion? He didn’t know, he just knew he needed it. 

“Hey Nicko, wanna go for a ride?” Kelly asked him softly. He had gotten to Colorado a few days prior.

“Sure.” Nick agreed, a little confused. He didn’t ask where they were going, something in the way Kelly asked stopped him. Wherever they were going it was important to him, though he didn’t say it out loud. 

Kelly didn’t say much on the drive over, that in itself wasn’t hugely unusual it was the sense of calm that surrounded him. A sort of nostalgic sadness surrounded him, one that gave away their destination to Nick before Kelly’s jeep even pulled onto the small sideroad. 

The whole place was ghostly quiet, covered in deep blankets of pure snow that rendered the whole graveyard peaceful. It was old, littered with mausoleums and grand gravestones and statues. It was oddly beautiful in the late afternoon sun with the bright snow reflecting off the stones. They followed a rough path through the snow where the path was until they reached the edge. 

Kelly killed the engine but he didn’t leave the car. For a quiet moment he stared out the front windshield, not quite seeing the world beyond it. It’d been so long. He used to visit as often as possible, but every year was harder, contrary to what people said. It was supposed to get easier right? Kelly had prayed so long that the pain would ease but whenever he allowed himself to linger on their memories and the fading images of their faces, it seemed to hurt more and more. 

“Kels?” Nick asked him, reaching for him. 

Kelly flinched a little at his voice, turning towards him. “Sorry babe, I’ve never brought anyone up here with me, besides my grandma.”

It was then that it struck Nick what Kelly was doing. He was mentally preparing himself. More than that, this was his way of introducing Nick to his family, his parents. A cross between pain and love lanced through his chest and he let his gaze linger on Kelly’s profile momentarily before he silently got out of the car and went over to the driver’s side, opening it for Kelly, silently holding out his hand for him to take. 

Kelly gave him a wavering smile as he took his hand and squeezed it, getting out of the car and shutting it behind him. For a moment they just stared at each other before Kelly gave him a nod and led the way through the snow. Nick wasn’t entirely sure how Kelly knew where to go when the whole place looked like a sea of frozen white waves, but he supposed that after all these years it he was navigation by memory. 

Not for the first time his heart hurt for Kelly, he might not have had a good relationship with his parents, but Kelly had. It seemed so unfair that Kelly had to lose the good people in his life while his own father dragged on through years. 

He knew they were at the right spot when they paused because Kelly knelt down in the snow and brushed off the headstones carefully. a few dark red flowers poked through the top of the powder and Nick wondered what type of flowers bloomed in the winter this late. 

“Hey mom.” He said quietly running his fingertips over the groves with her name then took a steadying breath and did the same for his father’s headstone. “Hey dad.” He said and Nick knew from the simple sound of it that he was close to breaking. Years of knowing Kelly gave him that little insight, and without thinking about it he knelt down beside Kelly and put his arm around him. Without saying a word he just held him like that offering support. 

“Thanks Nicko.” Kelly muttered more steadily. 

“Mama, Dad there’s someone I want you to meet.” Kelly said in a louder voice, leaning his head onto Nick’s shoulder. Nick turned his head to press his lips to Kelly’s temple and then rested his forehead there, willing love and strength into him. “This is Nick. He’s someone I’ve wanted you to meet for a while,” Kelly hesitated, not wanting to sound awkward. Nick rubbed his hand over his arm. “Nicko was Recon with me. He is one of my closest friends and the love of my life. He’s my family as much as you both are and I just wanted you to know him.” Kelly paused, unsure how to go on. Nick swallowed, facing the stones. 

“Nice to meet you, sir. Ma’am,” He cleared his throat and Kelly laughed a little, plopping back on his ass to sit, even though the ground was covered in snow. Nick smiled, doing the same. Kelly sighed, shifting so that he was leaning his head against his mom’s name. 

“I haven’t been here in a while,” Kelly murmured, tracing the etchings of flowers on the gravestone with his fingertips. Nick watched him silently, letting him remember and mourn. 

“Kelly is one of the best men I know,” Nick said after a few moments of silence. Kelly kept his eyes down, but the corner of his lips quirked up. “He’s my best friend as well. One of the most caring, kind hearted souls I’ve ever had the pleasure to know. You’d be so proud- I mean, I’m sure you are,” He struggled, swallowing. Kelly reached out to him and laid his hand on Nick’s. 

“It’s okay, Nicko. They know how awesome I am,” He grinned, still looking down and Nick watched him for a moment before leaning forward and tilting his chin up with his finger so he could press a contrasting warm kiss to his lips. 

They stayed that way for as long as the cold would let them. Kelly told Nick stories from his childhood that he hadn’t shared with anyone and the way his mom used to cook him pancakes with m&ms on Sunday mornings, just as Nick does now. How his father would show him how to carve and woodwork. Nick found himself wishing he really could have known them. With the way Kelly loved, there was no doubt that they were astounding and loving. 

“We’ll be back when it’s warmer,” Kelly told them, standing. Nick followed and ran his hand down Kelly’s back. After a few moments of silent prayer, Kelly nodded, wiping at a few tears that had found their way on his cheeks. Nick kissed away the moisture and Kelly smiled softly, gripping his hand and leading him away. 

“I just-” Nick stopped and Kelly paused to look back at him. “Can I have a moment alone with them?” Kelly watched him blankly for a moment before smiling and nodding. 

“Yeah, okay. I’ll be in the truck,” He told him. Nick nodded, turning to go back, but Kelly held his hand fast. Nick looked back at him in question. “Don’t uh.. Don’t tell them I smoke. Ma would be so disappointed,” He grinned crookedly and Nick laughed, nodding in agreement. 

Nick waited at the stones until he heard Kelly close the door of the truck a few hundred feet away. He sighed, reaching out to place his hand on the top of the stone. He swallowed cocking his head and smiling. 

“Hi,” He started, clearing his throat. He licked his lips and reached up with his free hand to scratch the back of his neck. “Um. I know you know how amazing he is. But Kelly really is the most important thing in my life. Not that he’s uh- a thing? He’s an amazing person, no matter how odd he is. I love him with everything I have. And I want you to know that no matter how much time passes, you will always be a part of him,” He sighed, swallowing. He didn’t know why he felt so nervous. It was as if he could feel them. He looked down and sighed. “I’m going to marry him. And I hope you approve… I know he would want you to…” He paused again. He knew he wouldn’t get a response, but he looked for one anyway. “I could only hope that loves me as much as he loves you both. I would have been honored to have met you,” He stopped. He swallowed and reached out to fluff up the red flowers that were blooming. He cocked his head and one of them bounced in the wind. The movement brushed through his hair and brushed along his cheek like a gentle finger. He closed his eyes and smiled. He knew a sign when he saw one. 

“Thank you,” He murmured and slowly stood. He turned away before he could say anything more. He kept his head down until he made it to the truck and was thankful for the heat that blasted in the cab, 

“Sorry, I just wanted to thank them-” Kelly cut him off with a sharp kiss, his hand fisted in Nick’s shirt. Nick moaned, biting at Kelly’s lips and reached for him, running his hands over his waist, trying to pull him closer. 

Abruptly, Kelly broke off on a gasp. 

“Sorry,” He chuckled, wiping his lip and Nick watched him, shocked. “Wanted to do that earlier when you were telling them how great I am, but I didn’t want to make Ma blush,” He chuckled and turned to the steering wheel. Nick watched him as they drove out of the graveyard and he smiled, reaching for his hand. 

“I love you, Kels. More than anything,” He told him. 

“I love you, too babe,” Kelly grinned.


End file.
